. The water birds of North America [microform]. Birds; Water-birds; Oiseaux; Oiseaux aquatiques. PROCELLARIID^E — THE PETRELS — PUFFINUS. 383 A fine specimen in the collection of Mr. Brasher is mentioned as having been pro- cured near the Narrows. It was taken by a fisherman, who noticed it feeding on the offal of the fish that he was cleaning. Not having any gun, and being desirous of capturing this rare bird, he resorted to the ingenious stratagem of attaching to the end of a line a fish-hook; and by letting this drift among the offal upon which the bird was feeding, it became fastened to th
. The water birds of North America [microform]. Birds; Water-birds; Oiseaux; Oiseaux aquatiques. PROCELLARIID^E — THE PETRELS — PUFFINUS. 383 A fine specimen in the collection of Mr. Brasher is mentioned as having been pro- cured near the Narrows. It was taken by a fisherman, who noticed it feeding on the offal of the fish that he was cleaning. Not having any gun, and being desirous of capturing this rare bird, he resorted to the ingenious stratagem of attaching to the end of a line a fish-hook; and by letting this drift among the offal upon which the bird was feeding, it became fastened to the web, and was thus secured alive. It proved to be a fine adult male. Its stomach contained a few particles of shells, and its boldness had evidently been produced by extreme hunger. Mr. Hurdis mentions two instances of the capture of this species in Bermuda. One specimen, alive, was given him by Mr. Downes. It had been found lying on the high road, on the opposite side of Hamilton Water, .Time 2, 1851. It was uninjured, and in perfect plumage. On the same day a second specimen was brought to him by a man who had observed it swimming near the shore; this also was cap- tured alive. These were the only specimens then known to have been taken in Bermuda. Mr. Dresser states that there is no authentic account of the breeding-habits of this Sliearwater, and that the eggs which do duty for it in the cabinets of collectors are almost always those of P. Kuhlii But I think he is mistaken, and that eggs taken by Moravian collectors in Greenland and referred to tliis species are authentic. One example given me by Mr. Wilmot, collected on an island of South Green- land, measures inches in length by in breadth, is nearly oval in shape, has a ground originally white, but which has been soiled by the peaty black earth i'voni which it was excavated. Another egg, collected by a different person at the same locality, is of smaller size, and of a yellowish white; it measures inc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1884
